The Animal Model Core provides the various services related to the animal studies for the individual projects of the Center application. The Animal Model Core will coordinate and standardize the shared use of the animal models and their tissues. Together with the project investigators, the Animal Core investigators will obtain institutional approval for the use of animals, perform or supervise surgical procedures on animals (e.g. orthotopic tumor implantation), perform or assist in non-surgical procedures (e.g. administration of test compounds, monitoring the animals), maintain colonies of genetically modified animals, perform genotyping on transgenic animals, harvest tissues at the end of the study periods, and process tissues for further analysis, including fixing, embedding, and microdissecting. Histological evaluation of tissues will also be provided by the pathology component of the CORE. Specifically the Animal Model Core will provide the following animal models to the project investigators: A) orthotopic pancreatic cancer animal model in nude mice, which will be used by project 2 (Harris) and project 3 (Mines); B) transgenic pancreatic cancer animal model, which directs a common KRAS mutation into the pancreas progenitor cells during embryogenesis and which is characterized by the development of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasias (PanlNs) and their progression to invasive ductal adenocarcinomas. This model will be used by project 1 (Pandol), project 2 (Harris), and project 3 (Hines). Project 1 (Pandol) will additionally use the chronic alcoholic pancreatitis model, in which Wistar rats fed ethanol and challenged with cyclosporin A and cerulein develop histologic changes resembling human chronic pancreatitis. All aspects of chronic alcoholic pancreatitis model will be done by project 1 investigators in collaboration with the USC-UCLA Research Center for Alcoholic Liver and Pancreatic Diseases. The Animal Core Investigators will regularly meet with the project investigators to discuss all aspects of the animal studies